Rack for curing and drying hay



A. ARMSTRONG. RACK FOR CURING AND DRYING HAY.

APPLICATJON FILED FEB. 9| ISIS.

Patented Aug. 15, 1916.

wi/tmeoow abtomen I ANDREW ARMSTRONG, 0F MARIETTA, GEORGIA.

RACK FOR CURING AND DRYING HAY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15', 1916.

Application filed February 9, 1916. Serial No. 77,320.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW ARMSTRONG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Marietta, Cobb county, and State of Georgia, have invented and discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Racks for Curing and Drying Hay, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to racks for drying and curing hay and consists in the arrangements and combinations of elements hereinafter described and particularly set forth in the claims.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a self-supporting rack constructed of few parts that are designed and arranged to be conveniently set up or taken down, whlch are connected and inter-braced to withstand heavy loads, and wherein the supported hay may be stacked in a compact and symmetrical pile clear of the ground for curing.

A further object is to construct the rack of such parts that the breakage or injury of any one may be easily replaced without curtailing the use of the device, and wh1ch may be broken down, or collapsed, to occupy the minimum space for economy in transportation and storage.

The rack is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view thereof, Fig. 2 a side elevational view, Fig. 3 a detail sectional view showing the pivotal connections between the sticks and locking device therefor, and Fig. 1 shows the rack collapsed.

Referring to the construction in detail, the rack consists of a pair of sticks or poles 1 and 2, pivotally connected at a point midway of their length by a bolt 3, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4; and a third pole or stick 4, similar to the members 1 and 2 is pivotally connected to said member 1 by a bolt 5 at a point approximately near to pivot bolt 3. The three sticks or poles are adapted to be set up after the manner of a tripod, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and in this position the same forms an interlocked structure that is self-supporting and capable of withstanding excessive loading. As an additional support I may employ a locking device or brace consisting of a block 6 that is secured to the member 2 by the pair of screws 7, or in any other suitable manner. Said block is adapted to engage at one end with the rack member 4, which, being secured to the member 1, gives an interlocking arrangement between the members, inasmuch as any tendency for the rack to collapse would obviously depend on relative movement between the members 2 and 4, which is prevented.

A strand of wire 8 connects the upper portions of the poles or sticks by passing through the eye-screws 9; or in lieu of this arrangement said wire strand may be connected to the poles in any other appropriate manner, and more than one strand may be employed if desired. The object of the wire is two-fold, to wit: to keep the hay from dropping to the ground and to equalize the strain on the several arms.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the rack is selfsupporting and will hold a pile of hay in such a manner as to prevent scattering, and quite free of the ground, for the purpose of curing. And it will be further noted that the rack may be set up in a quick and conveniently performed manner and as easily taken down or collapsed into the minimum space for the purpose of economy in transportation and storage.

It is obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention, and therefore I do not'wish to be limited to such features except as may be required by the claims.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A hay drying rack comprising a plurality of sticks pivotally connected and providing a ground engaging tripod and a hay supporting tripod, and a wire strand connecting the members of the hay supporting tripod at the upper ends thereof and provid ing therewith means to hold the hay, the lengths ofthe wire strand being taut between the members of the tripod, and said sticks and the connecting wire strand adapted to be collapsed, substantially as set forth.

2. A hay drying rack comprising a plurality of sticks pivotally connected and providing a ground engaging tripod, and a hay supporting tripod member secured to one of the sticks adjacent the pivotal point thereof and providing a lock with the other members to hold the rack against collapsing, and a wire strand connec ing the members of the hay supporting tripod at the upper ends thereof and providing therewith means to hold the hay, substantially as set forth.

3. A hay drying rack comprising two sticks pivotally connected together, a third stick pivotally connected to one of said sticks, the lower ends of said three sticks providing ground engaging members, a

block secured to one of the sticks adjacent the pivotal point thereof adapted to engage with one of the other sticks and form a lock to hold the rack against collapsing, and a Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

